A Letter from John Chambers

More than a decade ago, the network was positioned to become the platform to enable transactions—entering orders on line, conducting Internet-based searches, and e-mail. Today, we believe we are about to enter the next major phase of the Internet’s impact on business and life experiences, and it will be driven by collaboration and Web 2.0 technologies. We believe this next phase will have a dramatic impact on productivity, innovation, the way we communicate, and the way we live.

Technology, when combined with process change, has the ability to influence all aspects of our business and personal lives, including our contribution to the global economy. Cisco’s long-standing commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) extends from transforming global education to building healthier, more productive communities through to our Green initiative and the commitments we have made to corporate sustainability.

In this third annual Corporate Citizenship Report, we provide details on our progress in addressing corporate social responsibility, the risks and opportunities that affect the sustainability of our business, and our contributions to the global community.

Companies in today’s global economy are not only accountable for the quality of their products and the profitability of their businesses, they also have an obligation to fulfill social and environmental commitments to their employees, customers, partners, and shareholders as well as to the communities in which they operate. Cisco’s commitments are built on our ability to help facilitate collaboration and provide citizens, communities, countries, and businesses with access to information and opportunities that improve the way people work, live, play, and learn. In this way, we can increase the power of the human network.

Since Cisco’s inception, we have had a culture and philosophy of corporate social responsibility and community involvement. It is embedded in our DNA and driven through our vision, strategic planning, and execution. The results of Cisco’s efforts are reflected in the prestigious awards we have received over the years for our exemplary global business practice.

Cisco is committed to environmental responsibility in our business operations, products, and network architecture design. This past year, we established an EcoBoard to set an environmental strategy and oversee companywide environmental programs. We believe that through the power of the network, people are empowered to work, live, play, and learn in an environmentally sustainable way. This can be accomplished through reduction in transportation-related emissions using collaborative technologies such as Cisco TelePresence and Cisco Unified Communications, and also through improvements in workspace utilization and reductions in energy consumption. Our own collaborative technologies have the ability to reduce our carbon footprint by decreasing employee travel, and we can in turn show our customers, partners, and suppliers how to do the same.

Working with our social development partners, we continue to apply networking technology and expertise to expand educational opportunities in communities around the world, creating jobs, strengthening economies, and raising standards of living. These social benefits open new opportunities for us all.

I invite you to review and comment on our efforts. This report provides updates on our progress on the United Nations Global Compact, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). I’m proud of the successes we have achieved to date, and I’m looking forward to the future and how together we can improve our global community.